Back To School Lunchbox Ideas

Check out my back to school lunchbox ideas. They all include simple healthy whole foods you can put together quickly - great for pre-school & kindergarten. Hope these ideas help you pack nutritious delicious lunches for your kids, so you don’t get stuck in a processed food rut.

Back To School is Upon Us!

It’s back to school season! My friends in California and Florida already started school last week and this week. For us in the midwest, we can still hold on a little longer to summer since the first day of school is not for another 2 weeks. But it’s time to start thinking about what renewing those lunchboxes from last year, upgrading to bigger sizes or just thinking about just what those lunchboxes will be filled with.

Omie Lunch Box

For many schools, young kids don’t have the option to have their food heated, so I find that it’s best to stick to cold lunches. However, every now and then, especially when I have a ton of leftovers of a hot dish my kids love, I do use the Omie Lunch Box which has an insulated bento box that stores hot and cold food all in one box. It has 2 temperature zones so entrées keep warm while veggies and fruits, or even milk boxes, stay cool! The other “cool” thing about Omie is that there’s a removable latch that you can place in the vertical or horizontal section of the box to add a divider, so you can include different foods without them mixing all together. I like this for small eaters because they can nibble on a variety of foods. I have a referral link you can use to get 15% off on their site here: Omie Lunch Box

Yumbox Lunch

The lunch box I use the majority of time with my kids is the Yumbox Lunch. My kids are 6 and 4, and they are super slow eaters so the amount of food that fits in here is just perfect for them to eat during a 30 minute lunch break. The other great benefit is that it’s lightweight and compact with an easy-open latch, so it fits nicely in their backpacks or even in the standard size thermal lunch totes if you have one of those. Then there’s a leakfree lid, which means you can put salad dressing in one of the compartments or yogurt and not worry about it leaking out. With this lunchbox, there’s no need for ziplock bags, multiple containers, plastic wraps and snack packs…all the lunch is in one compact container…so easy, so cute, so fun!

What to Pack?

If your kids love having sandwiches, but you want to avoid deli meats and other processed meats, here are some yummy substitutes. Don’t worry that your kids need an abundance of protein at lunch. They just need a well-balanced meal that contains whole grains, fruits and vegetables that will provide them ample nutrition and energy for their busy days. Here are some ideas to fill in your sandwiches:

Vegan “turkey” made from tofu – aka tofurkey – which tastes just like the real stuff…IMHO

Variety of hard/soft cold/grilled cheeses with sprouted whole grains (I do this a lot)

Sunbutter (for nut-free schools) with bananas or other fruits or even honey

Veggie or bean burger

If your kids don’t mind having something other than a sandwich, you can put leftovers from last night’s dinner (I sometimes make extras for this very reason), which is always practical for busy days, or you can try some of these ideas:

Macaroni salad: Pick their favorite pasta shape and throw in kid-friendly veggies like carrots, peas and corn. You can use any on-hand salad dressing or my easy dressing.

One-Pot Chicken Rice & Veggies: This one is better served warm so it’s perfect for the Omie lunchbox, but my son usually doesn’t mind having it at room temperature so I also pack it in the Yumbox.

Grain salads: You can get creative here with quinoa, barley, wild rice, cracked wheat, farro as the base and then add whatever vegetables your kids like with simple lemon juice and honey to sweeten the deal.

Example Lunchbox Ideas

Simple salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing with a side of fruit and pretzels.

Read it, Love it, Share it!

Hope these lunchbox ideas serve as an inspiration for your kids and encourage your little ones to eat more whole foods and especially fruits and vegetables. Keep it colorful, keep it simple and keep it interesting! If you enjoyed this blog post, please share it with your friends or on social media and tag #feelgoodfoodie on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter!